CVE-2002-1339 in Office Web Components
Summary
by MITRE
The "XMLURL" property in the Spreadsheet component of Office Web Components (OWC) 10 follows redirections, which allows remote attackers to determine the existence of local files based on exceptions, or to read WorkSheet XML files.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/24/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2002-1339 resides within the Office Web Components 10 Spreadsheet component, specifically targeting the XMLURL property functionality. This flaw represents a significant security weakness that enables remote attackers to exploit the component's handling of URL redirections, creating opportunities for unauthorized information disclosure and system reconnaissance. The vulnerability affects Microsoft Office Web Components version 10 and demonstrates a classic case of improper input validation and insecure direct object reference implementation.
The technical flaw manifests when the Spreadsheet component processes the XMLURL property and follows HTTP redirections without proper validation of the target resources. This behavior allows attackers to craft malicious URLs that redirect to local file paths on the target system, enabling them to determine whether specific local files exist by observing the exception responses generated during the redirection process. The component's failure to properly sanitize or validate the URLs before following redirects creates a pathway for information leakage through exception handling mechanisms. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-20: Improper Input Validation and CWE-425: Direct Request Forgery, as it allows attackers to manipulate component behavior through crafted input parameters.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with a method to map local file systems and potentially access sensitive WorkSheet XML files. Attackers can exploit this weakness to perform reconnaissance activities by systematically testing various local file paths and observing different exception responses, effectively creating a local file inclusion enumeration mechanism. The ability to read WorkSheet XML files represents a significant risk for organizations with sensitive spreadsheet data, as these files may contain confidential business information, financial data, or proprietary calculations. This vulnerability particularly affects web applications that utilize Office Web Components for spreadsheet functionality and are accessible over the internet, creating a direct attack surface for remote exploitation.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including disabling the affected Office Web Components functionality when not required, implementing proper network segmentation to limit access to systems hosting vulnerable components, and applying the appropriate Microsoft security patches released for this vulnerability. The remediation strategy should also include network-level controls such as web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious URL redirection patterns. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1083: File and Directory Discovery and T1190: Exploit Public-Facing Application, as it enables attackers to discover local file system structures and exploit publicly accessible web components. System administrators should also consider implementing monitoring solutions that can detect anomalous URL redirection patterns and exception handling behaviors that may indicate exploitation attempts.